Michigan Bat Roost Monitoring Effort Returns for Second Summer
A colony of bats roosts in a confined space, highlighting the importance of summer roost sites for resting, raising young and sheltering throughout the season. Photo courtesy of Joy and Richard Kuyt.
From tree cavities and trunks to bridges and barns, bats are settling into a variety of summer roosts across Michigan. Just as they did last year, residents can help scientists better understand where these important mammals are living, by sharing information about the bat activity they see around their homes and communities.
The Michigan Department of Natural Resources and Michigan Natural Features Inventory are asking the public to report bat roost locations through the Michigan Bat Roost Monitoring Program.
Providing the information is easy. The online form asks for basic information such as the date and time when you saw bats using the roost, whether the location is on public or private land, the type of structure (house, barn, bat box, etc.), and how many bats you observed using the roost. There also is an opportunity to share photos.
This project focuses on summer roosts — places where bats rest and raise their young during the warmer months. Bats typically use summer roosts through August or early September. As temperatures cool in the fall, many species move to winter roosts, called hibernacula, where they hibernate until spring. Reports of summer roosts can be submitted at any time, even if the observation occurred earlier in the year. Read more
